Something Death Cannot Erase
by Scarlett Rogue
Summary: Everyone thought they were gone. Now, Fred, Lupin, Tonks and others learn that death is only the beginning.


Summary: Everyone thought they were gone. Now, Fred, Lupin, Tonks and others learn that death is only the beginning.

Rated: T for Language (but it's not too bad)

Disclaimer: *sigh* I really shouldn't bother...

:PLEASE READ: This fic is a side-along with my other, Make This Moment Better. I recommend if you haven't read that yet, don't read it until after you read this (b/c that one takes place two weeks after this). After this I will write one more called Picture Imperfect, which should be quite funny, so please stay in touch!

"Gather up, everyone! The battle has begun!" A loud voice boomed over the grassy field. The grass continued to sway gently in the light breeze until a man stepped forward, changing the direction of the wind. He took a few steps forward before curling to the cool ground in one quick, graceful movement. His dark hair fell over his eyes as he stared at the horizon waiting for the others to join him.

"Hello Sirius, didn't think you'd be the first to come." Another man walked into view, fingers entwined with a beautiful red-headed woman.

"James, Lily. You know I like to be on time."

"Yes, when did that happen? You could never get your ass out of bed when we were at school." James ran his fingers through his already tousled hair and Lily swatted at his hand. He gave her a sheepish grin before listening to Sirius.

"This is a war, not school. it's important that we're here in case..." He didn't have to finish. Sirius remembered the day he had woken up naked in a field much like this one, conjured up some clothes and wondered until he found himself standing before his dead friends.

"Who else is coming?" James asked to break the uncomfortable silence.

"Dumbledore promised he'd make an appearance, same for Ted, Cedric, Bathilda and Regulus. Actually, I'm surprised Regulus isn't here right now. Where is that brother of yours?" Lily cocked her head to the side in confusion; After Sirius found out about his little brothers true nature they were inseparable.

Before he could answer, however, a young man, no older than twenty, strolled into the circle and took a seat next to Sirius. Regulus was not as muscular as his older brother, nor as handsome, but he brought with him an air of charismatic beauty that no one could deny.

"Hello, did I miss anything?"

"We're just waiting for the others to come." Lily subconsciously began stroking James' hair when he put his head in her lap.

"And you said you didn't like my tousled hair," James joked.

"Here they come!"

Sure enough a group of people came into view. Bathilda was much younger than she had been when she died, her long brown hair sweeping down her back and her steps quick. Ted was also younger, if only by a few years, but still had that comforting smile that everyone loved. Cedric was just as handsome and charming as he had been in life as he let his body drop to the ground in the circle. Finally Dumbledore brought up the rear, his midnight blue robes sweeping the tall grass. He lowered himself slowly onto the ground and smiled pleasantly at everyone around him.

"Hello dear friends. You all know why we're here. Today marks the final battle, the end of all ends. We are here to welcome anyone who passes, to give them comfort, for we all remember how those first few moments alone were. Let us hope that no one we know and love will find their way here, but if they shall, we will help them in any way we can." Dumbledore nodded his head slightly and received seven nods in return.

"Who do you think it will be?" Ted's voice shook slightly and it was clear what he meant to ask: Do you think it will be my wife? Do you think it will be my child?

"It could be anyone. Just remember, Ted, death is not the end." Cedric waved his hand at the area surrounding them, as if giving an example of his statement.

"I know, it's not me I'm worried about. What if...If one of them dies and the other can't cope with it? They don't know that death isn't the end. What if-"

Teds next worry was cut off by the sound of a man coughing. The welcome committee glanced around but saw no one.

"Who is it?" Cedric whispered. His question was answered a few seconds later when a red-headed man stepped out from behind a tree, shaking leaves from his brilliant hair. He glanced up and around at the group with astonishment.

"Welcome, Mr. Weasley." Dumbledore gestured to the ground across from him and Fred staggered to it fast, slumping down on the floor and eyeing each person cautiously.

"...I'm dead, aren't I?" he asked, sounding unsure of the situation.

"Oh, quite."

"Well that's good. I was beginning to think I'd lost my marbles." Fred gave a care-free laugh which caused many shocked glanced from those who did not know Fred Weasley.

"Do not fear for him," Dumbledore said as Bathilda rose as if she meant to check if his brain was still inside his head. "Everyone who knows Fred knows that he hardly takes anything seriously."

"I think I'd take it seriously if it was someone else in my family who died and not myself." The instant the words left his mouth Fred slapped his hand to his face and groaned.

"What is it?" Sirius sounded concerned.

"My mum, how is she gonna react to this? And my brothers, and Ginny, and...and George." He whispered the last name and grabbed at his chest, the pain of the end of his life finally crashing over him.

"It will take them some time to heal, yes. But you will be able to see them someday." James said gently.

"When?"

"When they are done grieving. When they have moved on. It would do them no good to see them now, to have them depend on your visits and never fully get over the fact that you belong to a different world now. Give them some time."

Another cough was heard suddenly, followed by a sputter and a sneeze. The person in question had apparently fallen over and snapped a tree branch off.

"Oh, bugger." The voice mumbled as he struggled to right himself. Sirius stood up and walked slowly to the tree, waiting for the man to appear. As he walked cautiously out from behind the beautiful oak tree Sirius threw his body at the man, slamming them both to the ground.

"Ohmygod, what the HELL!" The man had not gotten a look at Sirius' face. He pulled back and allowed him to gaze at his attacker for the first time since he arrived.

"S-sirius?"

"Bloody hell, Remus! You look like you've gone back twenty years!" Sirius pulled his friend off the ground with him and turned him around to face the confrontation.

"Am I...dead?" Lupin sat down slowly and looked from one face to another.

"Yup!" chorused the group. Lupin saw James and Lily at that moment and hurled himself, without warning, at the couple.

"Ohmygod ohmygod ohmygod!" They continued to hug until Lupin pulled away and smiled at his friends. He glanced over and saw Fred at that moment.

"Oh, shit Fred! Do you have any idea what this is going to do to your mother?" Fred nodded but continued to smile because he knew she'd get over it, and when she did he could visit her.

Everyone was smiling at Lupin except Ted. He glared at the wolf in question and gritted his teeth.

"Do you," He began to whisper, "have any idea what this will do to my daughter? Do you have any idea how she'll react when Tonks finds out that you're dead!"

"What about Tonks?" a voice echoed from behind the group. They all spun around and faced the pink-haired woman.

"TONKS!" Ted ran forward and pulled his daughter into a hug. Sirius wondered forward after him and hugged his favorite cousin tight.

"Oh, I've missed you, fur ball." She smiled warmly at him.

"So, what is this about you being a married woman? Who's the lucky guy?" Sirius grinned wide but Tonks wasn't paying attention to him. She had just looked over his shoulder and saw Lupin standing a small distance behind him.

Without another word she removed herself from Sirius' embrace and staggered into her husbands arms. He felt her shutter as a small sob escaped her lips.

"Shh, it's okay, I'm here."

"I s-saw you die. I saw him hit you. I tried to stop it but I...I-"

"It's not your fault." Remus pulled her chin up and kissed her passionately in front of everyone, a different behavior then people were used to seeing from him.

"You married my baby cousin!" Sirius shrieked from behind them. Tonks pulled back and glared at him.

"I'm not a baby. However, I do have a baby." She smiled sadly, remembering her little boy who was probably still at home with his grandmother.

"You have a-what?"

"A baby. He's about a month old now." She leaned her head on Remus as he kissed her forehead.

"You..." Sirius looked at Remus with shock. "You shagged my cousin?"

"Well..."

"Come on, Sirius, it's not like it matters! Besides, I shagged back!" Tonks said indignantly. Remus slapped his hand to his face in embarrassment and Sirius looked ready to kill.

"So what do we do here?" Fred asked, to change the subject.

"We begin a new life, never forgetting the one we left behind." Dumbledore said confidently.

"And nothing will change?"

"Besides a much lower crime rate and a lack of a dark lord, nothing. Love, life, friendship: These are some of the many things that not even death can erase."

Well this is, as I said, a side along to Make This Moment Better, if you haven't read that yet I strongly suggest it. takes place two weeks after this, so I suppose I just pulled a star wars move by writing this one after that. Hope you all enjoyed, comments=love. Thanks so much for reading!

*Title taken from lyrics of the song "Phoenix Lament" by Ministry of Magic, amazing band!


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